Dutch coalition government may lose Senate majority to eurosceptics

Holland's coalition government is at risk of losing its Senate majority in provincial elections due to be held on Wednesday evening as the Eurosceptic Forum for Democracy climbs in the polls.

According to the latest poll from Peilingwijzer, the liberal VVD, Christian Democratic CDA, centrist D66 and Christian Union may come off with just 28 seats in the 75-seat upper chamber, versus 38 the last time around.

Forum's leader, Thierry Baudet, says his party draws its inspiration from Italy's Five Star Movement and his stated aim is to break what he calls the "party cartel" in charge.

To take note of, a separate poll found that in a general election Prime Minister Mark Rutte's VVD might lose as many as nine of the 33 seats that it has in the lower chamber.